Career Center

The Renal Senior Social Worker is assigned to the Durham VA Health Care System providing comprehensive clinical social work and case management services to Veterans receiving ongoing or episodic renal care. The Social Worker has specialized knowledge in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Hemodialysis (HD), and their psychosocial considerations and impacts. In collaboration with inpatient medical teams, the Renal Senior Social Worker evaluates the veteran's presenting psychosocial problems and facilitates access to the resources that can most appropriately minimize the veteran's psychosocial stressors Evaluates psychosocial needs and applies social work interventions with a high degree of autonomy, exercising independent judgment and initiative in carrying out social work functions and in applying social work values and ethics to complex situations Serves as the admissions and discharge coordinator for the Durham VAHCS outpatient dialysis clinic or the Durham VAHCS Briar Creek dialysis clinic Provides daily support to the Hemodialysis Nurse Manager, Nurse Practitioner, and Medical Director of Renal Services, by assisting with treatment planning, providing crisis intervention, and problem solving for this medically and psychiatrically complex group of patients Possesses knowledge and mastery of skills related to theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illnesses common to patients cared for by renal teams Effectively incorporates complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice and aiding in the formation of related treatment plans Determines priority for services and provides specialized treatment services, including advance level case management for Veterans with CKD or ESRD Uses in-depth interviewing techniques to gather biopsychosocial information used in the assessment and treatment of veterans and their families Uses professional judgment and specialized practice skills to identify at-risk factors, psychiatric conditions, catastrophic medical conditions, cognitive impairments, or other high-risk diagnoses; based upon the psychosocial diagnoses, makes professional decisions and recommendations regarding the care and treatment of the veteran Develops psychosocial treatment plans and goals in coordination with the interdisciplinary and dialysis teams, participates in the assignment of veterans to treatment teams and programs, and consults with other specialists in treatment planning Identifies available resources, VA and non-VA, which may facilitate treatment and assist the patient in goal attainment Independently concludes appropriate actions through ongoing assessments and revisions to the treatment plan as the patient makes progress towards goals in response to interventions, to changes in health status, or to changing needs Initiates and effects changes in methods and interventions to promote efficient practice and improve patient outcomes Makes decisions for appropriate action based on advanced practice skills, professional judgment, and expertise, even when these decisions can seriously impact the life of the veteran, including recommending to the transplant team that the patient be denied for transplantation based upon psychosocial contraindications Responsible for clinical social work practice in the DVHCS outpatient HD units including promotion of social work services as a key component of treatment Evaluates his/her own practice on an on-going basis through participation in professional peer review, case conferences, research studies, or other organized means Active in and accepts responsibility for the development and maintenance of professional standards of treatment Provides clinical social work services to veterans and family members/significant others in support of the veteran's treatment, including counseling, guidance, emotional support, and other assistance Provides individual and group counseling, including psychotherapy, and assisting others in facing problems, thinking them through, evaluating the situation realistically, considering alternative courses of action, and arriving at plans for using resources and existing coping skills to resolve problems Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs for colleagues Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Financial Disclosure Report: Not required